• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 15, 2018

IPG is losing years of institutional knowledge, media talent and experience with the planned departures of two of its senior media executives: Jim Elms and Kris Magel. 

Elms, who is joining independent Barkley, signed on with UM in 2010 and then shifted to Initiative, where he was global CEO. Two years ago, he took on a corporate role with IPG and is credited with helping land the winning Amazon media pitch. 

Magel is a 10-year Initiative veteran and buying whiz who is joining Dentsu Aegis Network in an unspecified role.

At Initiative, he worked his way up to U.S. president a few years back. Then the media shop restructured and brought in Amy Armstrong as U.S. CEO and created three regional presidential posts. Magel shifted to East Coast president. 

At Dentsu Aegis, Magel will be reunited with two other IPG media alums, including Nick Brien, who joined the company last year as CEO Americas. At IPG, he ran UM, then Mediabrands, the holding company’s media management arm and then McCann Worldgroup. 

Also at Dentsu Aegis is Matt Seiler, who worked for Brien at Mediabrands before succeeding him, when Brien went to McCann Worldgroup. Earlier this year, Brien recruited him for the role of president of brand solutions. 

A Dentsu Aegis spokeswoman confirmed that Magel was joining the company, but declined to provide specifics on his role, which she said would be “forthcoming.”